1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved golf bag cover which is stored easily, and deploys to protect golf clubs from the rain and elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An 18 hole round of golf can be played in under three hours on an uncrowded course. A round of golf played during the weekend can be extended to over five hours on crowded golf courses in large metropolitan areas. Because of the length of a typical round of golf and the unpredictability of the weather, an average golfer can find himself far away from the club house trapped in a rainstorm ranging from a light sprinkle to a heavy downpour. While many golfers are frustrated by nature's onslaught and head for the club house, others pursue completion of their round in spite of the rain. With the increasing popularity of golf necessitating in many areas of the country that a round of golf be scheduled many weeks in advance to secure a weekend time slot, golfers are often unwilling to let the rain interfere with their one chance to play, knowing that it could be at least a week before another chance to play arises.
Whether the golfer decides to play on or to head back for the club house to sit out the rain, the player's utmost concern is to protect his clubs from the elements. The typical golf bag sold on the market is a long cylindrical tube with an open upper end to receive the golf clubs. The bag is designed to provided maximum access to the clubs and only performs marginally to protect the clubs from rain and other precipitation. In response to this shortcoming, covers have been developed to attach to the top of the bag or to completely enclose the bag to better protect the clubs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,025 issued to Berge on Nov. 18, 1980, shows one such golf bag club cover. The cover has a drawstring at the base for securing the cover around the golf bag. A flap at the top of the cover, and extending the entire length of the cover, allows access to the clubs while the cover is on. FIG. 3 shows the cover flattened or folded for storage when the cover is not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,623 issued to Webster, Jr. on Apr. 9, 1991, shows a variation of a golf bag rain cover wherein a wide access panel extends from the top of the bag. A loose, oversized flap prevents rain or water from entering the golf bag cover. A cut out slot accepts the ring of the golf bag to aid in securing the cover to the bag. Hook and loop type fasteners are provided to maintain the flap when the clubs are not being accessed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,442 issued to Bevier on Jul. 21, 1992, shows another variation golf bag cover for protecting golf clubs. The cover has a wide flap midway down one wall of the cover. On the outside of the flap a plastic enclosure is provided to retain a score card away from the rain. Cut away sections of the golf bag near the bottom of the cover provide an opening for mating with the ring of the golf bag. A drawstring is also provided near the bottom of the cover to maintain the bottom of the cover in close contact with the golf bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,280 issued to Gevas on May 11, 1993, shows a hard shell type, protective hood for a golf club bag. As an alternate to the loose, generic fitting hood, Gevas discloses a hard shell mated to fit with a particular bag. The hard shell provides for protection against impact, but is less practical to carry on the golf course.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,950 issued to Cordasco on Jun. 22, 1993, shows a golf bag cover for covering an entire golf bag. The top portion of the cover is generally cylindrical and includes a zippered opening to allow access to the clubs.
British Patent 2,103,938 published on Mar. 2, 1983, shows a canopy type golf bag cover which attaches to the handle of a golf pull cart. A hook at the top of the cover attaches to another point on the handle to secure the cover across the top of the clubs, to reduce the amount of rain striking the clubs.
Because a large proportion of the golfers carry their own clubs and equipment, it is important that a golf bag cover can be conveniently packed into a small volume for storage in the golf bag, and can be readily deployed to protect the bag and clubs from the elements. The use of a flap on the cover is also desirable for the player who continues to play in the rain so that the clubs can be accessed with out the tedious process of removing the cover from the bag and without exposing a large volume of the mouth of the bag to the elements. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.